Credibles

USA

Many of us by now have heard of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms. CSA members pay farmers upfront, at the beginning of the growing season, for weekly food shares. This provides farmers with capital to get them through to the harvest. Meanwhile, CSA members — or share owners — are ensured fresh food every week, and often a place in the farm’s community.

Credibles (or edible credits) function in essentially the same way, except that they can be bought at all kinds of local food establishments — coffee shops, restaurants, butcher shops, grocery stores. “If you eat,” they say, “you’re an investor.” Credibles is working to make it as easy as possible for your “investment” to help local businesses.

Credibles customers download an app to their phones, and put a certain amount of money into an account with a participating local business. As with CSA shares, this is the equivalent of paying upfront — or investing in the business for future edible returns. The business can use the money in the account for capital and operating expenses, and Credibles customers can pop in at any time to pick up a cup of coffee, a loaf of bread or some fresh veggies (with no cash or credit cards necessary). In most cases, customers also get a discount for pre-paying.

In addition to helping fund new local businesses, Credibles also help build relationships between existing businesses and their customers. Most businesses using Credibles report that they’ve gained more regular customers and feel an increased sense of community. It’s this sense of community — perhaps more than anything — that leads customers to choose local businesses over corporate chains again and again.

To learn more visit https://credibles.co.